Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

This information was researched for Vonnie Baldie (from Albert Park, Victoria) who was a niece of William Woodburn (Uncle Bill).

William John Woodburn came from Bendigo and enlisted on the 3rd of April 1915. His parent’s address was then 57 Baxter Street, Bendigo, Victoria. He was a single man aged 23 years and two months old and he had worked as a Clerk. His father, also named William Woodburn, was listed as his next of kin. His mother, Mrs R Woodburn, was named beneficiary in his Will. It is believed that h her name was Brigid but I am not sure what the ‘R’ stands for on the official papers. People were often called by their second name by family/friends in that era.
William John Woodburn was five feet 6 inches tall, weighed 143 lbs, had a medium complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was a Roman Catholic (his rosary beads were later returned to his mother after his death). He smoked a pipe and also rolled his own cigarettes – as was common in those days.
William started as a gunner in the 22nd Australian Infantry Battalion.
It appears that he spent some five months in Gallipoli (from 30/8/15) before embarking on the HMT Ascanius and disembarking at Alexandria (Egypt) 7/1/16. He disembarked again in Marseilles (France) on the 26/3/16. He contracted mumps in April of 1916 and spent some time in isolation in a British hospital. After release he was wounded in action in France (records say on the field) on the 8th of November 1916. He returned to the field and was appointed as a Lance/Corporal on the 3rd of February 1917. He became ill with scabies in July of 1917 and when he returned from hospital he was transferred to the 23rd Battalion – still in France. His Battalion moved to Belgium not long after. In late July he became a 2nd Lieutenant. On the 23rd August 1917 he was wounded in the chest in action in Belgium. It was serious.
William died of his wounds at the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on the 2nd of October 1917.
He is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery nearly two miles south east of Poperinghe, Belgium.
His grave there is XXV A 20. So far getting a photo of William’s headstone has been unsuccesful and extensive searches for a photo of William has been tp no avail .